Building construction



2 shams-sheet 1 W. J. ERDNER BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed May l, 1935March 9, 1937.

/NVENTo/e WILLIAM .LERDNER BY E 2 /bb/ cttlw* ATT'` RNEYs March 9, 1937.w. J. ERDNl-:R

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed May l, 1935 2 SheetS-Sheet 2 Patented Mar.9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT; ori-ics 6 Claims.

This invention relates to building constructions and refers moreparticularly to fabricated building constructions composed ofprefashioned units.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to improve generallybuilding constructions of the type set forth, by providing frameworkhaving weight supporting structural elements spaced from each other topermit sliding prefashioned units of convenient size therebetween insuch a manner that the units are not only guided, but are also held inassembled relation by the structural elements and, in addition, byproviding the units with portions overlapping the exterior surfaces ofthe elements. The foregoing is particularly advantageous inconstructions where the preformed units are of lreproof material, suchas concrete, since it protects the weight supporting structural elementsfrom intensive heat and thereby prevents buckling of the elements.

Another advantageous feature of the present invention consists in theprovision of a building construction having weight supporting columnsand having door supporting elements secured to, but spaced from thecolumns a sufficient distance to provide for extending portions of theprefashioned units along the inner sides of the columns, as Well asalong the outer sides thereof.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of abuilding construction of the character previously set forth rendering itpossible to preform the window, door and chimney openings in the units,prior to securing the latter in assembled relation with the structuralelements of the building.

The foregoing, as well as other objects, will be made more apparent asthis description proceeds, especially when considered in connection withthe accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view through a portion ofa building constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Figure l;and

Figure 4 is a semi-diagrammatical elevational view illustrating themanner in which one wall of a building may be assembled in accordancewith this invention. In Figure 1 of the drawings, the reference numeralI0 designates one side wall assembly of the building, while the'reference numeral II indicates another side wall assembly and thenumeral I2 indicates the door structure supported by the wallassemblies. In the present instance, the wall assemblies are iireproofand are built-up from steel structural elements I3 and prefashionedunits I4. The steel structural elements I3 are the principal loadcarrying members and are preferably, although not necessarily in theform of H-section columns, while the units I4 are in the form ofpre-cast concrete slabs.

As shown particularly in Figure 4, the H-section columns I3 are securedat the lower ends to the footing I5 in predetermined spaced relationshipwith the sides of the H disposed in planes parallel to the planes of theinner and outer surfaces of the associated slabs I4. As will be observedfrom Figure 1, the space between adjacent columns I3 is so determined asto provide for sliding a slab I4 therebetween, in such ,a manner thatthe opposite sides of the H of each of the columns serves to guide theslabs in place. In this connection, it is to be noted that the oppositevertical edges of the slabs Hare recessed as at I6 throughout the lengththereof, to provide for receiving the columns I3. The width of therecesses I6 is suciently greater than the width of the columns forreadily sliding the slabs in place between adjacent columns, and thedepth of the recesses is so determined that the recess in the edge ofone slab will cooperate with the recess in the edge of the adjacent slabto substantially enclose the intervening column. After the slabs Il areassembled with the columns, and are properly positioned with respect toeach other, the spaces around the columns are filled with concrete orsome other suitable filler by pouring the same into the recesses I6.This construction provides for substantially completely embedding thecolumns in the side walls of the building and, in addition, serves tointegrally secure the concrete slabs together. Embedding the weightsupporting columns in a lire-proof material such as concrete, isextremely advantageous insofar as re hazard is concerned, in that itshields the columns from intensive heat and, as a consequence, preventsfailure of the side walls by buckling of the columns.

One particular type of corner construction is also shown in Figure 1,and as will be observed embodies an H-section column Il identical inconstruction to the columns I3 previously described. However, in view ofthe fact that the side wall I I extends at substantially right angles tothe wall I0, the end slab I8 of the former wall is guided in place by anangular structural element I9 having one flange secured to the H-section column, and having the other flange extending in the directionof the slab I8 for engagement in the recess 20 formed in the adjacentedge of the slab I8. The recess 2I in the end slab 22 of the wall I 8 isidentical to the recess 20 in the slab I8, and both the recesses are forthe same ,purpose as the recesses I6 described above. In other words,the end slab 22 of the wall I0 is guided in place by the opposite sidesof the H- section column I1 in the same manner as the slab Il is guided,and the end slab I8 of the wall I I is guided in place by the anglestrip I8 welded or otherwise permanently secured to the H-section I1.However, the outer walls of the recesses 20 and 2| are extended tocompensate for the corner, and the space defined by the recesses isillled with concrete or other suitable material in the same manner asthe recesses I6 are lled.

As previously stated, the floor structure I2 is also supported from theH-section columns, and this is accomplished in the present instance bythe following- Y construction. The floor structure is designated in thedrawings by the reference character I2 and is secured to the columns, bymeans of gusset plates 25. As shown particularly in Figure 1, the gussetplate 25 associated with each H-section column is disposed in the sameplane as the bar of the H, and the outer edge thereof is Weldedthroughout the length to the inner side of the H-section. The gussetplates 25 extend inwardly beyond the walls through the spaces providedbetween adjacent slabs and are bolted or otherwise suitably secured tothe floor structure. In connection with the wall I0, the inner portionof each gusset plate is secured to a structural element of I-shapedcross section, which forms one of the floor beams and is supported withthe web 21 lying in a vertical plane. In detail, the inner portion ofeach gusset plate overlaps the outer end portion of the web 21, and isbolted or otherwise permanently secured thereto in the field. 'I'heouter ends of the I-beams 26 are interconnected, by means of inwardlyopening substantially channel-shaped struts 28 secured to the webs 21 ofthe I-beams, by means of suitable angle brackets 29. The floor or I-beam adjacent the wall II is connected to the outer end of a floorchannel 30, by means of a strut 8l identical in construction to thestrut 28,

and having the opposite ends, respectively, permanently secured to theoor channel and I- beam by means of angle brackets 32. The floor channel30 is spaced inwardly from the wall II, in the same manner as the strut28, and is secured to the H-section column I'I at the corner, by meansof one of the gusset plates 25, in the same manner as the I-beams 26 aresecured to the columns I3. It may be pointed out in this connection thatthe gusset plates 25 for securing the floor channel 30 to the columnsembedded in the wall II differ in detail from the gusset plates employedin connection with the wall I0, in that the inner ends of the former arebent laterally to provide attaching flanges 35, and the latter arebolted to the outer surface of the base of the floor channel 38.

Thus from the foregoing, it will be observed that I have provided afabricated building construction composed of preformed units capable ofbeing expediently erected at a minimum cost and including wall sectionshaving the desired door and window openings prefashioned therein. Itwill also be apparent from my improved construction previouslydescribed, that the columns or weight supporting structural elements arethoroughly protected from intensive heat and, as a consequence, will notbuckle readily in case of fire.

. What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a building construction, a load supporting column, preformed wallsections on opposite sides of the column and having portions on adjacentedges thereoi cooperating to substantially enclose the column, iloorstructure. including a strut extending in the same general direction asthe Wall section and spaced inwardly therefrom, and means for supportingthe floor structure from the column including a gusset plate extendinginwardly from the column between the adjacent edges ofthe wall sectionsand secured to the strut.

2. In a building construction, a wall unit including a load supportingcolumn substantially H-shaped in cross section supported. with thev barof the H disposed in a plane extending substantially perpendicular tothe plane of the wall. floor structure spaced inwardly from the column,and means for securing the iioor structure to the column including agusset plate disposed in the plane of the bar of the H and having theouter and inner edges respectively secured to the column and iloorstructure.

3. In a building-construction, a load supporting column, preformed wallsections on opposite sides of the column and having portions on adjacentedges thereof cooperating to substantially enclose the column, floorstructure comprising supporting beams having the outer ends spacedinwardly from the Wall sections, and means for supporting the beams fromthe column including a gusset plate having the outer edge permanentlysecured to the column and having the inner edge spaced inwardly beyondthe wall sections and secured to the supporting beams.

4. In a building construction, a wall unit including a load supportingcolumn substantially H-shaped in cross section supported with the bar ofthe H disposed transversely of the wall, preformed wall sections onopposite sides of the column having portions on adjacent edges thereoislidably engageable with opposite sides of the H-section column inoverlapping relation to said sides, iioor structure including asupporting beam having the outer end spaced inwardly from the wallsections, and means for securing the floor structure to the columncomprising a gusset plate disposed in the plane of the bar of theH-section column and extending inwardly from the latter between theadjacent edges of the wall sections and secured to the supporting beam.

5. In a building construction, a pair of laterally spaced loadsupporting columns, a oor structure spaced inwardly from the columns, amember connecting the columns to the door structure, and a preformedwall section having portions at opposite ends overlapping the oppositesides of the columns to one side of the floor supporting members andslidably engageable with the columns.

6. In a building construction, a load supporting column, preformed wallsections on opposite sides of the column and having portions on adjacentedges thereof slidably engageable with the column and cooperating tosubstantially enclose the latter, floor structure spaced inwardly fromthe wall sections, and means extending inwardly from the column betweenadjacent edges of the wall sections and secured' to the oor structurefor supporting the latter.

WILLIAM J. ERDNER.

